SMRT bus captain suspended after running over construction worker

SINGAPORE - An 48-year-old SMRT bus captain has been suspended after an accident involving a construction worker at a junction along Anson Road near a construction site.

Videos circulating on social media show an SMRT bus turning right at a junction as a construction worker places a traffic cone on the leftmost lane.

The worker, 33, then appears to turn his back towards the bus as it approaches him. The bus then knocks the worker down, and at least one wheel of the bus appears to roll over him. After the bus stops, the worker sits up, before being helped to his feet.

He was subsequently taken conscious to Singapore General Hospital.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, SMRT said that the accident, involving bus service 970, occurred on June 27 at around 5.20pm.

“There were no passengers onboard the bus. The worker was conveyed to the hospital and our dedicated care team is in contact with the worker to offer assistance and support,” said deputy managing director of SMRT Buses, Vincent Gay.

“The bus captain involved has been suspended and we are assisting the police in their investigations.”

Police and SCDF said they were alerted at about 5.25pm to the accident. Investigations are ongoing.

ST has contacted the Ministry of Manpower for more information.

At least four other incidents involving buses have been reported in June so far.

On June 11, two bus passengers were slightly injured in an accident involving a bus and two cars at the intersection of Nicoll Highway and Bras Basah Road.

Two people were taken to hospital on the morning of June 8 after an accident involving a Tower Transit bus and a lorry on the Tampines Expressway. On the same day, a bus driver was taken to hospital after two off-service buses operated by Tower Transit collided in Sembawang.

On June 6, four bus passengers, including a 93-year-old, and a pedestrian were taken to hospital after an accident involving a Tower Transit bus and a trailer truck near Sim Lim Tower in Jalan Besar.

Singapore’s workplace fatality and major injury rates dipped to record lows in 2023, with 36 deaths and 590 major injuries. However, stricter measures have been implemented despite low incident rates. “We don’t want to have a situation where we are complacent,” said Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad in May, noting that in 2022, Singapore was still grappling with high (fatality and major injury) rates.